Feeling like an all inclusive vacation but also want to visit many countries in a week? Booking a cruise can be the right move! This guide will give you all the details you need when booking your first cruise - from booking and preparing for it, all the way to embarkation day, the administrative paperwork needed and several tips so you are ready to have the most fun! 

Carnival Cruise Port, North Cruise Boulevard, Miami, FL, USA

Carnival Celebration Cruise - Everything you need to know

It can get overwhelming when searching for the right cruise for you and your friends/family. There is so much to consider. These are the main things we looked for when searching for the right cruise for us:

1) Which port to leave from:  There are cruises that leave from all over the world! Therefore, depending on where you are travelling from, you might have to book a flight to get to the port of departure. We flew from Canada to Miami, Florida and spent 2 days in Miami before we embarked on the Carnival Celebration from the port of Miami. 

2) Which cruise line to book with: Although all cruise lines are very similar, there are a few differences when looking into the different deals that each cruise line offers. What we focused on is the countries we will be visiting and that there are plenty of activities for both kids and adults. Another thing people look at is the drink package. I believe Norwegian Cruise Line has the drink package included in the price, whereas with Carnival, you would have to purchase it separately. 

3) What countries to visit (itinerary): As mentioned above, this was one of the main reasons we chose the Carnival Celebration. There are so many amazing ports and countries that the Carnival (and all other cruise lines) go to. The ports we visited were St. Maarten, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. What made us choose this specific itinerary is that St. Maarten is a bucket list destination that I have been wanting to visit. 

We used Vacations To Go to look at the list of cruises available 

Finding the perfect cruise itinerary is the first step. Whether you decide to book through a travel agent or directly on the cruise line's website, here are all the other things to prepare for leading up to your cruise:

TIP #2: As it is with any other vacation, the earlier you book, the better deal you will get. Also, leading up to your vacation, you might get emails for upgrades, so look out for that. 

Once your cruise is booked, this is where the fun begins! Planning for the cruise is just as fun as the vacation itself. You start making packing lists and counting down the days until your vacation. Here are the main things to prepare beforehand:

2) Room combinations: depending on how many people you are travelling with, sometimes mixing up the group to get that good deal is the best way to go. For Carnival, there are discounts for kids and for people over the age of 55. Also, you can decide to go with a specific cabin number assigned at time of reservation or get a "guaranteed" cabin, where you will not know where it is until check in 2 weeks before embarkation. These cabins tend to be less expensive as well. 

TIP #3: We told our travel agent to do the best combination for the best price. Once on deck, we asked for extra room keys and changed rooms as we wanted. Note that this might get a little complicated if you decide to purchase the cheers package because if one adults (over 21 years) buys it, every other adult in the assigned room needs to buy it too.

3) Dining time: you will be asked if you want a set dining time or "your time" dining. The difference is with a set dining time, you will be dining at the same time everyday in the same table in main dining room. You will have your table reserved (you can choose early dining at 5:30pm or late dining at 7:45pm). If you prefer eating at different times each day on a first come first serve basis, you can select your time dining anytime between 5:15pm and 9:00pm. If you are travelling with a larger group, I would recommend your time dining. You can also mention how many rooms are together to make sure you have a table together each night.

4) Excursions: As soon as you book your cruise, you will be able to download the Hubb App and see all the excursions offered at the ports you will be visiting. Make sure to book them as soon as possible as they get sold out quick. We didn't do any excursion and decided to explore the ports, but there are very fun excursions we would do next time!

TIP #4: You can book excursions directly through carnival, you will be picked up and dropped off on time. You can also book excursions on your own, but you will be responsible to be back on time. If ever you are late, the Carnival cruise will wait if you booked with them but if not, you will be responsible to travel to the next port.

1) Documents needed: the main document needed is your passport or birth certificate. We had our passports since we were travelling from another country. Make sure you put the right spelling of the names and birthdate of all travellers to avoid problems when embarking. 

1) Check into your cruise: The same way as you would check in a flight, checking into your cruise is done 2 weeks before embarkation. This is where you will know the cabin number (if you booked a "guaranteed cabin"), get your check in time and set up your cash account. Cruises are now "cashless", except for the casino, of course. You can put your credit card on file to use during your cruise or you can set up a cash account, where you will be able to deposit cash on your Sign and Sail Card at guest services and use it throughout your vacation.

2) Download the Hubb App: if you haven't done this already either, download the Hubb App on your phone. You will be using this app every day to keep track of your expenses, to see all the fun activities on board, to check into the main dining room and to chat with your cruise members (additional $5 per phone).

TIP #5: if you haven't done so already, you can prepay your gratuities beforehand at time of booking or pay them after your cruise. We usually pay everything before, this way we don't need to worry about any other expenses at the end of our cruise other than what we purchase on board. 

TIP #6: if you didn't buy any internet plan, you can connect to the Carnival's wifi which only gives you access to iMessage if you have an iPhone. This was perfect for us as that was how we communicated during our trip, we did not purchase any internet and did not need it. You can find wifi at some ports if you need to check your emails or social media during your trip.

3) Print all the necessary documents: Have a paper copy of everything just in case you might need it. Print your boarding passes, a photocopy of your passports (keep your passports in the safe in your cabin and have the photocopies on port days just in case) and a luggage tag if you want to check in any luggage.

TIP #7: on Carnival, you are allowed to bring 1 750ml bottle of wine or champagne per adult and 12 cans or carton of juice or soda. You will have to pack it in your carry on, not your checked bag. These rules vary for other cruise lines

The day you've been waiting for has finally come! You have your packing list checked and ready to embark on your cruise. Once you get there at your assigned check in time that is printed on your boarding pass, the boarding process is very simple and there are employees helping you every step of the way. 

I hope you enjoyed this guide and that it provided you with everything you need to know for your first cruise. If you have any feedback or questions, please let me know. I am happy to help if there is anything that was missed. 

TIP #8: As soon as you get on the ship, go to your assigned muster station that is printed on your boarding pass and get the muster drill out of the way. It is important for all guests to do this before sailing.

After your muster drill is done, it is time to explore! Go eat at the buffet or the many other restaurant options there are, get your first drink and visit the lido deck for the sail away party.

TIP #1: A huge tip that I highly highly recommend is wherever you are flying to, make sure you arrive at least 24 hours before and stay at a hotel overnight. You never know when flights get delayed and the cruise will not wait for anyone. 

You can find us on instagram @gt.adventures1 or email us at gt.adventures11@gmail.com

Carnival Celebration Cruise - Everything you need to know

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